Happiness Lives Here: Stuff and Fluff

I cannot even begin to tell you the amount of stuff we have going on and of course we are getting into the season with all the major holidays and family get togethers. Some days I wish I could slow down time and I don't know...take a nap! With that said, we do love all of the "stuff" that we do and one of the very fun events we have been looking forward to around this time of year is the Trinity Auction.

We have family members that attend this school as well as family members that are employed by the school so it's extra special to us. I decided last year that I wanted to make a couple gift baskets for the following years auction. Well I decided on one...see the note above about the "amount of stuff" we got goin' on. :) I wish I could do more but I just can't this year.

What is easy about gift baskets is that you literally stuff it and fluff it until it looks awesome. I'm not even kidding.

I started with a mixing bowl; white so that it could go with any decor for any of the wonderful families bidding on it.

I stuffed it with tissue paper. I monkeyed around with the burlap to go over this too for well over a half an hour but it just didn't sit right. You don't have to put tissue paper in the object you are 'stuffing' but I did because I wanted some height and dimension. Then what you do is stuff...take out...restuff...take out and restuff again until you get your desired look.

I put in a recipe box, two 20 count recipe cards, cookie/cupcake stencils in the middle. Then I put the cookie mix behind the recipe box and then stuffed two spoonulah's (spatula's that are more spoon shape) onto either side of the cookie mix. Then I placed the cookie cutters also behind the recipe box and then the jar of frosting front and center.

Oh and since it is fall...the look wasn't complete without some leaves scattered around. Then you wrap it up in a plastic bag (like me if you want the easy way out) or plastic shrink wrap. I tie mine off with a rubberband so it's easier to put the bow on.

Also I taped the sides of the bag; you really can't tell unless you look close but the sides stuck out like big ol' ears. Not the look I was going for. Then the final piece...the bow. Now I have to admit I bought my bow; the lovely lady at Michael's made it for me in like seriously 5 seconds flat. So if anyone has a tutorial or tips on making this bow I am all ears-big ol' ears :) -just kidding but seriously would love a step by step on bow making. For this project, the $8.00 (I know-GASP) was well worth the money since I didn't have time and an endless supply of ribbon to perfect it.

Isn't it lovely! I am in love of the color of ribbon. In some lights and certain angles it looks peach, then in others burnt orange and then in others pinkish. It's gorg! And I picked it out thank.you.very.much. :)